Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-04-14
OUR NEW SECRETARY.
GOSSIP ABOUT THE HEAD OF THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

How FairchiId Looks, Acts and Talks.
His Family and His Home at Washing
ton-Senator Palmer's Spanish Speech.
His Wonderful Versatility.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, April g.
Secretary of the Treasury Fairchild is
striking contrast TO the secretaries of the
treasury of the past few years. Old age and
i'll health have been replaced by the vigor
of youth. The new secretary has none OF the
unhealthy pallor of Secretary Folger and his
tread is free from the totter of Secretary
Manning, His eyes laugh with the bright
ness of good digestion and his rosy cheeks
show that his blood is full of life giving iron
lie is the personification of health and there
Is no danger of his breaking down under the
strain Of his duties Secretary Fairchild is
45 years of age, but he does not look to be
more than forty. He has strong we'll
rounded form of medium height. and he
stands as straight a Lake Superior oak.
His shoulders are broad, his chest full and his
head is large and well made. His forehead is
high, broad, and full over the eyes. His
face Is rather long than round. His nose
is slightly inclined to the Roman, and
| III has u gracefully
hold his pair of black trimmed eve
glasses, which he uses only occasionally
The secretary's eyes are hazel. They are
| large, full of expression, and are serious or
| laughing as the conversation demands. His
| hair is short, dark brown in color, and it is
combed well up with rather high--but not
| at all dudish-part at the left of the forehead
lie talks easily and is perfectly at home in
his office. He has also the faculty of making
others feel at home, and, unlike Secretary
Manning, he can talk to more than one man
at time. He dresses in good taste, and he
will rank with Secretary Whitney, who is
now the elegant gentleman of the admnistra-
ton. He is not afraid OF a dress coat, like
| Attorney General Garland, and his closely
buttoned black diagonal frock fits him like a
glove Still there is nothing snobbish about
him, and he has the reputation in Washing
ton of being one of the most accessible of the
public men here. .*#
Secretary Fairchild is not an experiment
He has shown his capacity for the position by
having performed its duties for more than a
year, and am told by one Of Secretary Man
ning's most intimate friends that he hesitated
about accepting the portfolio of the treasury
until he could be assured that Fairchild
would become his assistant As assistant sec
retary Fairchild practically acted as the head
IT the treasury department, and the change
is one of name rather than one of work. He
ia fast worker, and he disposes of his bust
ness very rapidly. He rises early, and during
the past winter has been in the habit of walk
| ing to the department from his house. which is
| July a mile away. He arrives at the DEPART
nent at about $50 O'clock and finds his mail
rpened and ready for him. He has the fac
lily of making other people work for him,
nd much OF his mail has been disposed of by
is private secretary before he comes down.
The remainder he takes up at once and rap
lily reads. AS he finishes each letter he
Iirects what shall be done with it, and genel-
My has it answered by the chief of the di-
yison to which it refers. Letters which re-
Iuire his personal attention and further con-
liberation he lays aside, and after the rest of
the mail is disposed of, takes these up and de-
aies upon them, wluing some of the answers
,iuself and directing the answers to others
Trough his private secretary. He does not
Use stenographer in his work, but prefers
rLhers to shape the letters after the plan of
heir answer has been given in word by him.
| He is good reader of men. and knows the
personnel Of the chiefs of the department
thoroughly IS.
His mail is usually finished by II a. M, at
which time he receives the chiefs of his divi-
ions and consults with them about their
FORK After this the mail, which it is neces-
my for him to sign, comes in from the var-
Is branches of the treasury and be spends
m hour or so in afixing his signature to such
{ the letters as he approves. He has to read
many of the letters carefully, and it is sur
rise to many that he often receives callers
while he is doing this, carrying on the con-
versation while lie glances over the letters
tanning, during his last days here, was not
BILE to sign his letters and he had stamp
prepared with which they were signed.
| At 1880 Secretary Fairchiid takes his
lunch. This is n light meal and it is brought
into his office by his messenger. 1t consists
Of IA glass of milk, several slices of brown
bread, a dish of prunes, some Malaga grapes,
and it is topped off with an apple. The
secretary does not take smoke after it, and
| he only smoking he does i'll the department is
several hours later when he takes u cigar after
he heaviest part of his days work is done He
works pretty steadily, however, throughout
he day, and often receives callers during his
Nnch, talking business between the bites of
lis brown bread and apple. He leaves the
apartment at o'clock end takes horseback
Il Ia between this and dinner. He keeps two
good saddle horses here and makes it a rule to
idle at least one hour daily. During the short
lays of the winter he rode in the morning
before coming to the department. He sits
Iorse WELL and has thorough knowledge of
the country about Washington. He attrib-
utes his good health largely to the regularity
f his exercise, and thinks there is nothing
letter than horseback riding to keep the
'ystem in good condition.
-,
Secretary Fairchlld is well educated
man. He has Il fine library in his house here,
and there is an extensive law library in his
office at the department.. He is a graduate
of Harvard college and of the Harvard law
school Sam Tilden had much to do with
bringing him to the front in New York poll
tics, selecting him to prosecute the canal
frauds. Afterward Tiden had him nomina-
ted for attorney general. The election was a
close one, and for a time Fairchid thought
he was beaten When the back counties were
heard from, however, he found he had Is, 900
majority. He was active Tiden man at
the st. Louis convention, and had been a
very prominent public man and lawyer be-
fore Cleveland took him up. AT this time he
was living in New York city, where he had
moved from Albany i'll 1880 His law firm in
! Albany was a noted one and its practice